Shine On
by jcmoorehead
Summary: Asuka comes home to find Shinji sleeping on the couch with his SDAT in, a curious listen causes emotions to surface she had tried to supress. Response to One Hour One Shot Challenge.


**A/N: **Okay this is yet another of those one hour one shot things, took me about ten minutes to plan and an hour to write out. Based on an idea I've had in my mind for a while. I've wanted to do something with a slight musical theme for a while but never had the chance because of writing Conspiracy.

**Shine On…**

Asuka stepped into the apartment, even the entrance was a complete mess. Shinji hadn't been home in a week and Misato never bothered to clean anyway. Asuka didn't feel it was her job to do it, why should she have to? She was their guest, it was Misato who asked if she wanted to stay here not the other way round. If it was up to Asuka she would have stayed on her own, she could have handled it she didn't need to live with anyone.

She angrily kicked off her shoes and walked into the kitchen, at least this area was somewhat clean. Although that was probably because it was a larger area meaning the mess would be spread out. She looked at the table, there was another note there another message from Misato tell her and Shinji she'd be out late again.

'How pathetic, she acts as our guardian yet is never there. Probably with Kaji again, makes me sick.'

She tore the note up and just threw the remains on the floor again muttering to herself, 'Shinji isn't around anymore, not that it matters. Idiot was barely noticeable even when he was around.'

Just as she finished speaking to herself she heard a noise from inside the living room, it was like a whimpering noise followed by a slight shuffling noise. She scowled again, 'Shinji must be back'

She went into the living room towards where the sound had come from, the TV was on but muted and the curtains were drawn leaving the room in a state of semi darkness. Just as it had been when she had left for Hikari's that morning. She looked across the couch, Shinji was lying there, his earphones and clutching his SDAT tightly. He was lying with his back to her facing in towards the couch but she could see as she got closer his cheeks were streaked with tears.

Another wave of disgust ran through her she tried to force herself not to feel sorry for someone like him. He was weak, she was strong she shouldn't feel sorry for him. She didn't need to, just like she didn't need him to feel sorry for her after the last angel. She blinked away the memories of the last angel forcing it to the back of her mind. It had shown her everything, moments she didn't want to see and what disgusted her the most was he was shown to her as well and that she was crying out for him, crying out for him to hold her of most things. She didn't need him, she didn't want him and there was no way in hell she was going to let him hold her.

A small click stopped her train of thought, she looked around and saw it was from Shinji's SDAT. Asuka looked at the small black object, Shinji never went anywhere without it she was sure that he even probably considered it a friend or a part of him. Something that if removed he wouldn't be able to function.

'I wonder what he's listening to on there.' A strange thought came over her, she had never really asked Shinji about his favorite music or about what he listened to. Not that she cared but it was something most normal people spoke about, then again she realized with a hint of a smile. They weren't exactly normal.

'_He's asleep, I'm sure he won't mind if I have a listen'_

Carefully she placed her hand near one of the ear phones and took it out of his ear, wiping it. She placed it in her own ear and bent down her elbows resting on the couch and listened carefully to the…

'…complete silence, this thing isn't even turned on.'

She reached over him making sure not to touch him and found the play button on the device, it whirred into action as the song started up. There was silence for a few moments then something started up, a lone keyboard note drifting in building up in volume. It continued and then changed, it continued like this until a guitar began to play. Slow and melodic, she closed her eyes as it played over the organ intro she just let the sound of the guitar take her away. It was strange usually she would have called something like this boring and cast it away, but something in that slow melodic guitar and sad organ drew her in.

The guitar continued its solo and eventually faded out allowing the keyboard to keep going until it came in again to play four notes. She visualized it in her mind like lights around a screen. Or a seat in the center with four spot lights on it, with each note the guitar played a different light came on. Continuing until it reached its peak and the sound of drums came in.

The song burst into life as the guitar, drums and keyboards created a piece like something in a dream. She just let it carry her away, the slow beat of the drums, and the melodic slow and sad sounds of the keyboards and that moving lonely sound of the guitar. It continued, she just kept her eyes closed listening to the piece and then all the sound faded out, the guitar had gone, the drums had finished but the isolated keyboard notes remained.

A mans voice came into the song, and began to sing over the keyboard.

_Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun.  
Shine on you crazy diamond.  
_

The lyrics, she felt something inside her just from that very first line. It was almost as if the songwriter was talking to her, putting all of what she wanted to hear into music and singing it to her. The man sang again.

_Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky.  
Shine on you crazy diamond.  
_

It kept going, the man would sing the sound of the guitar would come in then the man would sing his next line. 

_Threatened by shadows at night, and exposed in the light.  
Shine on you crazy diamond._

The memories of the last angel came back to her at that line, she tried to force them away but couldn't. She remembered it, how she had gone up there, how she had been ready to fire and that light. The light from the Angel, it has burnt into her, went through her, examined her very soul, exposed her memories for it to see. She tried to force it back, but she felt a tear rolling down her cheek as the song continued._  
_

_Well you wore out your welcome with random precision,  
rode on the steel breeze.  
_

_Come on you raver, you seer of visions,  
come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!_

The rest of the song was a blur, as she just sat and throught about the words. All those feelings she had tried to suppress had came flooding to the surface, her isolation, loneliness, sadness all the feelings she had tried to suppress, the ones that she thought made her look week had all be exposed, not because of some Angel but because of one song.

The song faded out and ended she took the ear phone out and placed it back on Shinji wiping her eyes. She turned around to see his sleeping form except he had now opened his eyes and was looking at her with confusion. He whispered slightly, "Asuka… are you alright?"

She looked at him and realized she was still crying from listening to the song, she tried to respond to him but no words would come out. Instead she threw herself at him wrapping her arms round him tightly letting her tears fall silently onto this shoulder. He nervously placed his arms around her and held her back wondering what had happened. That was when he noticed the ear phone she had placed on him along with the fact that his SDAT was currently running. He reached over and placed it to his ear listening to the song that was playing.

_How I wish, How I Wish You Were Here  
We're Just Two Lost Souls Swimming In A Fish Bowl, Year after Year_

_Running over the same old ground, what have we found?  
The same old fears  
Wish You Were here._

**A/N: Well there you go, not brilliant I know but I done it in an hour. I would maybe like to expand it sometime but it is only really meant to be a one hour thing. Before anyone says anything yes I know Wish You Were here doesn't come after Shine On on the album, but it was a nice touch. Wouldn't really fit having "Welcome To The Machine" lyrics.**


End file.
